Coalition Works to Create Green Jobs, Solve Climate Crisis

April 4, 2008
The Blue Green Alliance (BGA), a partnership of the United Steelworkers and the Sierra Club, joined the Alliance for Climate Protection as part of a coalition working to solve climate crises, create green jobs and encourage investment in a green economy.

These organizations will educate members about global warming and support solutions promoting economic prosperity. The program, which is the first of its kind to build a blue-collar constituency for global warming solutions, highlights the opportunities for high-paying domestic jobs in renewable energy, clean technology and green manufacturing while examining risks associated with climate change.

"We are looking towards a future – a very near future – in which good, high-paying American jobs will be created with the onset of a green economy," said Leo W. Gerard, international president of the United Steelworkers. "Developing, manufacturing, installing and maintaining new technologies to fuel our homes and businesses will create a whole new industry that will translate into millions of new jobs."

In March, BGA, Steelworkers and Sierra Club launched the “Green Jobs for America!” campaign to define clean renewable energy and global warming solutions as key ways to rebuild the nation’s manufacturing infrastructure.

BGA also coordinated the first national green jobs conference, “Good Jobs, Green Jobs,” which drew more than 1,000 leaders from the environmental, civil rights and labor movements, as well as academic, business and government institutions.

"We believe a renewable energy strategy can get our economy moving again and create a new generation of domestic manufacturing jobs while solving global warming," said David Foster, BGA executive director. "During World War II we built more than 50 planes a day. We should be able to build a renewable energy plant a week to protect our environment, end our addiction to foreign oil and lead to new industries that will create thousands of real jobs."

The Alliance for Climate Protection was founded by Vice President Al Gore. Other coalition partners include Girls Scouts of the USA, the Audubon Society and the Earth Day Network. For more information, visit http://www.wecansolveit.org.

About the Author

Laura Walter

Laura Walter was formerly senior editor of EHS Today. She is a subject matter expert in EHS compliance and government issues and has covered a variety of topics relating to occupational safety and health. Her writing has earned awards from the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE), the Trade Association Business Publications International (TABPI) and APEX Awards for Publication Excellence. Her debut novel, Body of Stars (Dutton) was published in 2021.

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